Modifying a chart is a process for assisting a user to create or modify a standard chart into a customized chart using a series of visual chart elements representing how the standard chart can be changed. In some situations, when creating a chart the user normally has a preconceived notion of how a chart should be displayed. For example, the user may desire to create a chart for graphing various plotted points on an X and Y axis with each axis labeled. The user may also desire that each set of points be displayed in a different color and with a name associated with each set. However, the user may not know how to create such a chart because the user may be unfamiliar with the intricacies of the charting software, which leads to frustration by the user. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.